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Chapter Twenty-Four
True New Englanders love three things: the Red Sox, Dunkin’s, and fall. Jeanie knew this, of course. She’d been one for the past decade, after all. But Dream Harbor’s Fall Festival was a whole new level of autumnal worship.
The town square and surrounding streets were closed to traffic to accommodate the multitude of tents and tables and activities. There was pumpkin decorating, caramel apples, and cider donuts (that Jeanie could not stop eating, even though she’d already had three). A
It was madness.
Delightful, apple-pie scented madness.
Jeanie couldn’t help gri
Logan had worked beside her all morning, occasionally brushing his arm against hers or giving her a slow secret smile. It wasn’t exactly a proclamation of his intentions in front of the whole town, but she didn’t want that anyway. The fact that he was here beside her was enough. More than enough. It was doing all sorts of warm, swoopy things to her stomach, making the whole morning feel like it was cast in a glow of happiness. She wanted to curl up in the feeling, like Casper in a patch of sun.
‘Happy Fall Festival!’ Isabel stepped up to the table wearing an eerily accurate baby Yoda on her chest.
‘Hi, Isabel! Hi, Mateo!’
Mateo-Yoda gurgled happily in return.
‘Enjoying your first festival, Jeanie?’ she asked, deftly sipping from her coffee while keeping the hot cup out of Mateo’s reach. ‘Hi, Logan.’
‘Isabel, hey.’
‘I am. This is really pretty incredible. I like your hair.’ Jeanie gestured toward Isabel’s classic Princess Leia buns.
‘Oh, thanks. It’s a whole theme. There’s a Mandalorian and a little stormtrooper walking around somewhere, but Mommy needs coffee if she’s going to survive this day. I woke up to said stormtrooper leaning over my bed fully costumed at four this morning.’
‘Yikes,’ said Jeanie, with a grin.
Isabel smiled back, her gaze flitting between Jeanie and Logan. Heat crept up Jeanie’s cheeks. Isabel knew. Somehow, with her secret mom and romance-reader powers, she knew exactly what was going on between Jeanie and Logan. Which was crazy because Jeanie wasn’t even totally clear on it herself.
In fact, she half expected Logan to put distance between them, to find cups to stack, or the next customer to serve, but instead, he shifted closer. His broad shoulder brushed hers again, the back of his hand skimming her fingers.
It felt like a declaration.
Isabel smiled wider.
It was a declaration.
Quiet and sure and steady, just like Logan. He linked his fingers with hers and Jeanie’s heart fluttered. Maybe he was serious about this thing between them, after all. Maybe New Jeanie was about to get the sexy farmer, even if he had seen her as a hot mess again this morning. Her heart kicked up its flutter into high gear.
‘Well, I’ll see you at the costume contest later,’ Isabel said, excitement glinting in her eyes. She patted little Yoda on the head. ‘Come on, Yoda, let’s go find Mando.’
Jeanie waved goodbye and Logan slowly pulled his hand away, needing it to help the next customer, but not before he glanced down at her with another secret smile teasing the corner of his mouth.
‘How long before everyone knows?’ Jeanie asked quietly, smiling at the customers as she spoke.
She could sense his shrug without even looking at him. ‘Not long.’
‘And you’re fine with that?’ She handed Greg and Shawn their hot ciders. ‘Have fun, guys!’
Greg raised his cup in a Fall Festival cheers gesture and the two walked away, leaving Jeanie and Logan alone for the moment.
‘I’m fine with it. Are you?’
Jeanie swallowed hard, suddenly feeling the weight of what they were doing. Suddenly remembering that the eyes of the town on them meant that everyone would be looking at her, too. What if things didn’t work out? What if she actually had no idea how to have a serious relationship? She never had before. Panic flashed hot in her gut.
Why was all of this occurring to her now, when this sweet, sweet man was trying so hard to make her happy? Had his kisses scrambled her brain that much?!
Damn it, Jeanie! Get it together.
She pushed a smile onto her face.
‘Yep. Totally fine with it.’
Logan studied her a minute longer, his blue eyes searching hers until she had to glance away, afraid of what he’d find there.
‘Okay.’
‘Okay, great!’ she said, putting as much su
‘Uh-huh.’ He glanced at her again, hesitant, a small frown creasing his brow.
She forced her smile bigger.
She’d wanted this, hadn’t she? She’d wanted Logan to choose her for real. But somehow, she’d conveniently forgotten that she had to get her shit together, too. She shook her head like she could rid herself of these damn doubts.
It was fine. Everything was fine. Maybe Isabel wouldn’t tell everyone about the world’s tiniest display of affection. Maybe everyone would be so swept up in the fall festivities that no one would care about her and Logan.
Maybe she was deluding herself.
Jeanie made a quick stop at A
‘Hey, George. Hey, Hazel.’ A
‘Another donut?’ A
‘Just one more.’
Hazel studied Jeanie with shrewd eyes as A
Jeanie glanced around. Most people had moved toward the costume-contest stage, so the bakery tent was empty. ‘Well, it’s Logan.’
A
‘Of course, it’s Logan,’ Hazel said, leaning her elbows on the table. ‘What happened?’
‘Uh...’ Jeanie fidgeted under A
‘At what?’ Hazel asked, while A